Helping You Get To College The ACCESS Program Helping You Get To College Since 1988

Helping You Get To College

The ACCESS Program

Helping You Get To CollegeHelping You Get To CollegeSince 1988Since 1988


Need for College Access 2

Students from low-income families least likely to graduate from high school or pursue postsecondary education

Students from families where no one has gone to college lack understanding about the college process and are overwhelmed by the amount of forms and paperwork

Need for College Access


ACCESS Mission 3

inspiring the hope that a college education is attainable;

supporting them in achieving the requirements for college acceptance;

guiding them through the college application process; and

assisting them in gaining the funds to attend college.

ACCESS Program helps public high school students go to college by:


Founding in 1988 4

Founded by Frank Batten and Joshua P. Darden, Jr., two businessmen well-known for their civic and philanthrophic activities

Collaborated with the Norfolk Public Schools to open the program in the five high schools in this urban school division


Program Expansion 5

In 1990, expanded to the three high schools in Portsmouth Public Schools—demographically, almost identical to Norfolk except a smaller school division and we served those eight urban high schools until 1999

In 1999, ACCESS expanded to two of the 11 high schools in Virginia Beach because of a challenge from an ACCESS donor.

We were then serving 10 schools with programming for students in grades 9-12.


Program Expansion 6

In 1999, we were awarded a planning grant from TERI to study the feasibility of adopting the model of a centralized college access center as a means to serve students in the other 18 public high schools in South Hampton Roads.

Results concluded that a center approach would not work because of lack of mass transit system; therefore, we considered the option of a “roving” ACCESS advisor.

In 2000, we deployed an “expansion” model to serve seniors only one day per week in two high schools in Chesapeake and the impact was tremendous.

Results from this model would fuel our method of expansion for the next few years.


Strategic Planning 7

In 2000, the Board “realized” that we had never properly planned for our future

Completed a Strategic Plan 2001-2011 calling for the following five objectives: Instill hope and motivation in public high school

students of South Hampton Roads to attain a college education

Offer a quality college access advisory program to students of South Hampton Roads

Provide sufficient last-dollar awards and other support to ACCESS Scholars

Expand the ACCESS program to serve the entire South Hampton Roads region

Assure long-term financial health and sound governance of the Foundation


Program Expansion 8

Success of Chesapeake pilot project of services one day per week for seniors only gave the Foundation a model that met our goal to dramatically impact the college-going rate while greatly reducing operating expenses. 80/20 rule

Community champion offered a $1:$2 match of every contribution to the campaign to permanently fund this expansion model for the six schools in Chesapeake.

Funding goal was met and we were then serving 14 schools by 2002


Program Expansion 9

In 2003, one of our founders donated $11.2 million to endow the one-day program in each of the unserved high schools.

In 2005, we completed our 10 year plan six years early!

In 2005, Old Dominion University conducted an evaluation of our program

In September 2006, we adjusted our program based on evaluation results and now offer our program two days per week serving juniors and seniors in 14 schools and our program three days per week serving 9 – 12 graders in 14 schools.


Summary 10

There was a demonstrated need among the public high schools

There was a champion of the cause in each expansion phase or city

There were one or more financial champions to step up to the plate with funding

The Board of Directors or Trustees had total buy in to the concept


Program Accomplishments 11

Over 18 years: 1988 - 2006 Number of students assisted 50,000 Total financial aid for students $150 million Last-dollar awards granted $ 3.4 million

Last school year: 2005 - 2006 Number of students assisted 11,500 Total financial aid for students $ 22 million Last-dollar awards granted $ 265,000

Documents

Helping You Get To College The ACCESS Program Helping You Get To College Since 1988